Phoenix City Chronicles
Phoenix City Chronicles (also known as PXC) is a roleplaying game and community. It has changed form over time but often uses the same characters and setting, retconning new story arcs, settings, characters, and items into the world's history with each revision. The current edition is in works as of July 2015. Edition History The first edition of Phoenix City Chronicles was a campaign setting for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons version 3.5 and ran for some years out of the apartment of series creator Regis Welch. The second edition, located at http://minionz.thebloodyred.com and then http://phoenixcitychroncile.friendhood.net, was a forum-based game that operated exclusively on the AVA System that Welch had developed. The second edition retconned the events of the first edition but used many of the same characters. Between the second and third edition, games set in the world of Circunima (and sometimes Phoenix City) were run by Welch while playing with the Peoria Street Guild. The third edition, presently in works as of July 2015, will use elements of the D20 System with new house rules in place and will take place mainly as a play-by-post game on Facebook. Players will be primarily from Peoria Street Guild. The story will continue in the same canon as the second edition with additional material being incorporated from the stories set between editions. Setting Set in the fictional world of Circunima, the central focus of PXC is its namesake, the anachronistically modern magical metropolis of Phoenix City. Existing as a shining beacon of learning and culture in a comparatively barbaric world of sword and sorcery, Phoenix City often finds itself the target of hostile and powerful villains seeking either to destroy or rule it. Enter the heroes, banded together from varying backgrounds and across the world, whose combined might ultimately manages to win the day and restore peace to the free city and its people, and sometimes, to the world or worlds beyond at large. Characters Phoenix City Chronicles brings together a diverse cast of characters running the gamut of race, culture, and moral conviction. These characters are divided into three groups by the latter as follows; Heroes The primary heroes of Phoenix City Chronicles at present are... Ami Yuuka - Also known as Shadow Dol, Ami was created by Lenitnes Dol to assassinate Knuckles McDaniel, but has defied her programming, instead choosing to aid the forces of good. Ami's help was instrumental in the battle against Eldritch Dol and she thereafter left to live in peace with her family. Brother Light - A priest of the god Helios, Brother Light is normally less of an adventure and more of a supporting character, but for a time the kindly cleric was increasingly called into action as of late in light of the increasingly powerful progression of evil entities in Circunima. Burk - A childhood friend of Tal and Cellus, Burk accompanied the latter on a mission to bring back Tal as the last defense against Nathaniel Grassroot. Burk, although loyal and strong, was eventually forced to accept his limitations both as a warrior and as a hero. After the defeat of Feusang, he left with Tal and Cellus to enjoy a comparatively peaceful life. Cellus - Tal's childhood sweetie, Cellus was dispatched to find her bo and bring him back home after the Wetreed tribe's lands were overtaken by the deathmage Nathaniel Grassroot. A skilled archer and healer, she has come to the aid of her friends many times. After grappling with the death of her boyfriend, a split personality, and a final confrontation with a demon that had previously raped her, Cellus regained her resolve, but chose to retire with Tal to the country life. Cerys - A nekomimi thief who was adopted by a little girl named Molly after she caught him trying to steal food from her backpack. Molly is unaware of Cerys' true nature, and so he lives a dual life both as her beloved pet cat and an increasingly noble ally to the forces of good. Fox - A charming thief with a shady past. Whatever brought this intriguing kitsunemimi to help our heroes, she isn't telling, but her unique ability to "borrow" an enemy's attacks and defenses has saved the heroes more than once. After the defeat of Feusang, Fox stealthily exited to the amusement of Zeaken. Kage Manako - A mysterious swordsman from Meido who seeks to master the Kaze-Ryu sword style. Kage was mysteriously shifted out of the main timeline by Ro Tar R'an and has since become his champion, occasionally dropping into other story arcs. Kaylea - An amnesiac woman with a tainted past. Kaylea, in spite of her strange powers and increasingly dark revelations about her former self, chose a more heroic path this time around, even forming a lasting relationship with Knuckles McDaniel, whose soul she rescued from Hell. Kaylea and Knuckles departed for Phoenix City after the defeat of Feusang, where they have comparatively settled down. Knuckles McDaniel - A young tough who, along with his sister Callie, runs The Golden Apple, the family pub formerly owned by his mother. Knuckles is embittered by the loss of his mother to criminal activity in the city, and vows to avenge her, but his quest to become a strong warrior has inevitably changed him from a rebellious boy to a heroic man. During the 50th anniversary of Phoenix City, Knuckles confronted and defeated Venga Morae, the mob boss responsible for his mother's death. Kradu Phane - A bitter necromancer who aided the heroes in defeating Nathaniel Grassroot, Kradu is searching for a way to restore his brother Nobe Phane, the victim of an experiment gone horribly wrong, to his former, living self. In the aftermath of that story arc, Nevara took Kradu to Nocturne in hopes of finding an answer to his dilemma, and neither have been seen since. Nevara - A shadow angel who followed Vektor to Circunima to prevent the world's destruction, Nevara was once a member of a cabal of assassins in Nocturne before leaving to pursue a more noble life. Although she failed to save the vampire Vincent Kisuke from his own dark heart, she has vowed not to make the same mistake with the necromancer Kradu Phane, who she has taken under her wing in hopes of redeeming him. Tal Kadorin - A grasslander monk who bills himself as a "wandering exorcist". Indeed, Tal is gifted in the art of sealing spirits in addition to being a capable martial artist. Shy and self-conscious in the beginning of the series, Tal overcame his personal demons and finally admitted his feelings for his childhood sweetheart, Cellus. Zeaken Pyrek - Zeaken is the captain of the Sunset Arrow and a khamele sentinel. Like his brethren, he is bound by tradition, but has little taste for the structure of the khamele military, choosing instead to pursue his mission out on the open sky. Villains The primary villains of Phoenix City Chronicles at present are... Cecielia - A witch who promised herself to Jacen, and the mother of his child, Cecielia betrayed her love for the sake of her offspring by killing the fiend before his suicidal actions could destroy them all. Feusang - The former military general of Gerdheim, Lord Feusang set his sights on nothing less than godhood as he razes temple after temple in search of the Osiris artifacts. He was ultimately defeated by Vaneslea, the merger of Kaylea and Fox via the Bracers of Janus in a climatic showdown. Jacen Koriander - A diabolical incubus with the power to manipulate minds, Jacen once sought total political control of Phoenix City, but in light of his death and transformation into a malevolent spirit, he reset his priorities on crushing the spirits of the heroes that stand in his way only to be struck down, not by his hated enemies, but by the woman who loved him. Lenitnes Dol/Eldritch Dol - A power-mad gnome scientist whose attempts to create the perfect body transformed him into the psychotic cyborg monster Eldritch Dol. Dol loathed Knuckles McDaniel, who defeated him in Vektor's tournament, and vowed revenge on him at any cost. He was ultimately destroyed by the heroes after briefly murdering Ami Yuuka and her siblings. Nathaniel Grassroot - A corrupt deathmage who had enslaved much of the eastern Plainterra, including the homeland of Tal, Cellus, and Burk. Although well-equipped to deal with most would-be heroes, Grassroot was ultimately silenced forever by the champions of Phoenix City and hasn't been heard from since. His curse over the land has been lifted, suggesting he may be really gone for good. Vektor - A demon who came to Phoenix City with an ultimatum; either the city's greatest heroes would fight him in a tournament or he would open a doorway to his dark realm and reign chaos on the city. Vektor was ultimately defeated by our champions, and according to his brother Khoros, is currently back in that lower realm rebuilding his power and reputation. Neutral Characters Characters that have yet to take a side in this struggle include... Cania - Betrothed of the priestess Arami, and Kaylea's former mentor, the roguish Anubian known as Cania never could settle down, let alone set down treasure in his sight, but went missing shortly before Kaylea lost her memory. Kaylea later rescued Cania from Feusang's torturous grasp and the thief helped her to regain her memories in return. Mezerella - A nekomimi assassin that served as a pawn of Jacen in the events leading up to Vektor's tournament. She was sadly killed when Vektor engulfed her with a spell. Vincent Kisuke - Although once a heartless assassin, Vincent briefly became a hero after choosing to become the Holy Assassin of Anubis to redeem himself for the various murders he had committed and save his soul from purgatory. Tragically, he was ultimately tempted back to evil by Nathaniel Grassroot, ending up in Hell, where he briefly reunited with the heroes before being left behind in Cecielia's illusion spa. His next appearance was sadly grim; as a corpse baiting the heroes into one of Jacen's traps, suggesting the demon finally got his revenge before being killed himself. Plot Phoenix City Chronicles is organized into (currently) four story arcs. Vektor Story Arc Main Article: Vektor Story Arc Marrowbrook Story Arc Main Article: Marrowbrook Story Arc Feusang Story Arc Main Article: Feusang Story Arc Kel Al Ba'al Story Arc Main Article: Kel Al Ba'al Story Arc Category:Phoenix City Chronicles Category:Metagame